The Council of Europe
and the Republic of Moldova join forces on the Lanzarote Convention

Chisinau, 13.05.2014 –
Thanks to the support of the government of Liechtenstein, the Council of
Europe (CoE) Children's Rights Division organised, on 12-14 May 2014, focus
groups' meetings and visits of Children's Centers in the Republic of Moldova
to identify how the Council of Europe could best support the authorities
with the implementation of the Convention on the protection of children
against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, as requested by Mr Dorin
Recean, Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova. Ms.
Stéphanie Burel, CoE Project Manager, and CoE experts: Ms Gordana
Buljan-Flanders, Croatia, Ms Olivia Lind, Sweden and Mr Bragi Gudbransson,
Iceland, met with representatives from all ministries, country offices of
other international organisations, NGOs, specialised bodies, the academia
and professionals from different sectors, to envisage a future project in
the country.

This possible future cooperation project would seek to support the
government with the establishment or improvement of legislative and
political measures to ensure effective support of child victims of sexual
violence, with respect, specifically, to infrastructures such as Children's
Houses for child victims and training for professionals working with and
for children in such context.

The CoE team also had the opportunity to meet with Ms Liliana Palihovici,
Vice-President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, who stressed
her engagement to instigate legal reforms in line with the Convention and
this in particular to avoid secondary victimisation by ensuring that
children are interviewed just once, in camera, by a trained interviewer.
This fact-finding mission was an excellent learning experience for all
parties which cooperated efficiently and successfully. A draft proposal for
a project concerning structures for child victims of sexual violence and
training for professional will be finalised shortly following this first
inception phase and will be implemented when appropriate and once funds have
been obtained for its implementation.